Music: Maylene and the Sons of Disaster

“I’ve never had a reason not to be humble,” says Dallas Taylor, lead singer of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, shortly after pulling the band’s tour van into a motel parking lot somewhere in Illinois. He, along with the other five members of the Birmingham-based Metalcore outfit, is still in the first half of a nationwide tour to promote the latest Maylene album, titled III, which was released on June 23 and has since placed 70th on Billboard’s Top 100.

This might seem unreal to fans whose only impression of Dallas is derived from his erratic stage presence. He bears slight resemblance to a young Charles Manson and whether he’s spitting three feet into the air, wrapping the mic cord around his neck or banging head at the edge of the stage, yard work is one of the last things a fan would imagine Dallas indulging.

Along with Dallas’ remarkably down to earth personality, his appreciation of the American work ethic encapsulates the spirit of Maylene, a band that has risen from the murky depths of the Southern Rock underground and emerged as one of the genre’s most promising mainstream acts without compromising their sound or mission.

They play the 20th Century Theatre. Read Adam Sievering's interview with the band and get show details here.